Page 1 of Seeking Evil

Prologue

A Predator Awakens

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing,

doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.

~ Edgar Allan Poe

Henry Postman watched as the casket slowly lowered into the waiting earth. His Maggie. Gone. The life they’d built over.

“It was a nice service.” Betsy Frasier, Maggie’s dearest friend, had been at his side through it all.

Henry forced a smile. “Yes, it was.”

“I thought Reverend Doughtry did an amazing job capturing who Maggie really was.”

“Yes. Yes, he did. As always.” A loud thump confirmed the casket had reached its last resting place. His beautiful wife would be ensconced under a pile of dirt. This was not lost on him—it was Maggie's worst nightmare.

“Mentioning all Maggie’s charity work.” Betsy sniffed as she went on. She held her handkerchief against her mouth. Henry didn’t notice any actual tears, though. “I’m going to miss her so much. We worked the Wednesday night meal service together for over twenty years.”

“I know.” He patted her arm.

“The meal is ready, Henry.” Reverend Doughtry hesitantly stepped closer, interrupting Betsy’s perception of grieving.

He nodded to the good reverend and walked beside him and Betsy to the annex where the ladies of the Pinedale Christian Church had prepared a feast featuring each of Maggie’s special dishes in honor of her.

One by one the women came by offering him food he couldn’t eat. Members of the congregation expressed their sympathies.

“I’m so sorry, Henry. She was a saint.”

Henry nodded as the reverend’s wife paid her respects. “That she was.”

He watched the members of the church he attended with Maggie and wondered what his wife would think if she knew his thoughts now. She’d probably scold him for not paying more attention. He smiled at the typical Maggie response.

As the meal droned on, he excused himself. Betsy and the reverend were busy chatting with others and barely acknowledged his departure.

This church family. What would they think if they knew his heart’s secrets? The things he’d done for love.

He trudged through the crunchy cemetery to his wife’s freshly covered grave.

Maggie had changed him for the better. But now she was gone.

“It was a nice service,” he mumbled, his eyes scanning the rows of tombstones in front of Maggie’s. “You’ll be happy here.” Her plot lay next to Maggie’s family. Many of their friends were here too.

Maggie had asked for this spot in the cemetery because it was close to her people, and there would be room for Henry as well. Both their headstones had been carved in advance. Hers read, “Faithful Servant. Loving Wife. Precious Daughter.” Three phrases to describe his special one. The inscription on his read, “Loving Husband. Church Deacon.”

Maggie told him she’d leave the third phrase blank for him to choose.

“I’ll stop by soon to see you.” Henry eyed the piles of flowers around the gravesite, a reminder of how well-loved Maggie had been.

He still couldn’t believe she was gone. How many funerals had they attended together? It seemed only natural for him to turn to her and say what a nice service it had been.

Today, he’d said it about hers. His wife’s.

He’d come home from work one day and found her in the yard. She’d been tending to her roses when her heart gave out.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t give you children. I know you wanted them.” Though Henry was fifteen years older, it was Maggie’s health issues that proved the problem. She’d wanted to adopt. He didn’t much like the idea. Eventually, Maggie found her children through the ones she taught in Sunday school. She threw herself into serving the Lord and believed Henry shared her passion for God.

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